UPDATE: Jennifer Garner To Star In Disney's Miss Marple Reboot

UPDATE: Jennifer Garner will be the actress who puts a young spin on Miss Marple in Disney’s reboot of the Agatha Christie mystery series sleuth. The character had been portrayed by a long line of actresses who played Marple as an elderly spinster who cracked crimes in her spare time. Garner and her Vandalia Films partner Juliana Janes will produce a film that will be shaped as a star vehicle for Garner, the former Alias star who will next be seen in Arthur.

EARLIER, 3:46 PM EDT: Disney has made a deal to revive the Agatha Christie mystery series staple character Miss Marple, but with one big difference: instead of the elderly spinster who lives in the English village of St. Mary Mead and solves mysteries as a hobby, the new configuration is for Mark Frost to script a version where Marple is in her 30s or 40s. Developing.

160 Comments

And hot right? You know they’ll have to make her hot. Can’t have an old spinster in a big HOllywood flick, no sir-y, that’s simply unacceptable. /sarcasm

HappyDance • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

So we can reboot X-Men, Star Trek and the Jack Ryan franchise with origin stories, but we can’t do that with Marple? I love Marple and Poirot and love the idea of origin stories for them, or modern updates. The BBC has produced decades of very cool classic Marple. I loved the BBC reboot of Sherlock Holmes; why not do the same to Marple?

kerton • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Because part of Marple’s character is that she is an old nosey busy body who underneath is a genius detective, who gets to the answer because she can use her age and her generally warm grandma like persona to her advantage.

The reboots of X-Men, Star Trek, Jack Ryan and Holmes all at least retain the over riding features that make the character who they are. This simply doesn’t.

Benjamin A.M. • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

But those properties started out with young character. The original X-Men comic was about teenagers. The original Star Trek was about young men and women (twenties, thirties, just like J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars). You don’t see the difference between portraying those characters AS THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PORTRAYED and taking Miss Marple, originally depicted as an old woman, and turning her into a sexy thirty-something American?

Blaq • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

the cool thing about Marple was that she was an old woman kicking ass and taking names. that was the draw. like “murder she wrote.” it won’t work with a younger, hotter actress.

Ophelia • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Interestingly, “Murder, She Wrote” was originally going to be an American relocation of Miss Marple – they couldn’t get the rights to use the character, so they created Jessica Fletcher: everyone’s clever aunt :)

Jen • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

HappyDance – Just to clarify, Sum of All Fears (staring a much younger Ben Afleck as Jack Ryan) was chronologically after Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games in the Tom Clancy canon…They did the same thing there as they are doing here…’Let’s throw some young actor in and hope no one will notice’ And for the record, that movie was awful too.

Guess what…people who are fans of these books get upset because we love the characters. It is a little insulting to think some hollywood writer thinks they’re going to come up with a better Ms. Marple than her actual creator. I’m not against movie versions of films, I just like when they show some respect for the source material.

Why not just create a new character without trading on the Agatha Christie name?

SK45 • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

This is one of the stupidest ideas to come out of Hollywood in years.

Just a bad idea all around.

Miss Marple is an OLD LADY and PROUD OF IT!

jenny • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

how can a young american play elderly english spinster from semi-rural eglish village? Maybe Disney knowingly make flops (as this will surely be)

James • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

So in other words a completely random new character using the name “Miss Marple”. I’m sure fans of the books will love that. And I’m sure young viewers who’ve never heard of the books will care about the name. What a stupid idea.

Michael • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

It’s really one of those classically terrible ideas, like a Catcher in the Rye movie.

Rob • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Way to go, Disney! Take a beloved character and erase the one thing that makes her interesting! Also, does it have to be an English village? Couldn’t it be Chicago? Does she have to be a woman? Does she have to solve mysteries? Is there any way this can be retooled as a possible franchise for The Rock?

Lytton Strachey • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Or you could buy the Nancy Drew franchise and age her up to her 30’s.

The money they spent on this license is wasted.

aquart • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Could she be Marple’s neice instead? Because this concept is revolting.

Hacky Hackerson • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

While you’re at it Disney, take a piss on every franchise in the world.
I can hardly wait until Mickey Mouse is available in public domain.
Let’s will make him a gay drug abusing rodent who likes to steal cheese.
How’s that feel Disney bitches?

EricW • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Actually, you’ve neatly summed up the motivation for the past 30 years of copyright “reform” in the United States. The Disney group is nothing if not horribly paranoid.

Anyway, to stay on topic…Coming soon to your local multiplex: Neil Patrick Harris IS Matlock!

Bob • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

She’ll be hot but also really smart. We’ll know she’s really smart because she’ll have a pony tail and wear glasses.

Dornraben • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Genius!! That is spot on!

IKfromOH • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Why??? Part of the fun of the character is that she is an old lady. Margaret Rutherford was great in that role. To make her 30/40-ish is just wrong!!! There are many older actresses who could act circles around the younger crowd. Judy Dench would be fabulous or Helen Mirren or how about Vanessa Redgrave. Any of them would be so much better in that role than a 30/40 something!

Thierry Attard • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

30 or 40? Make her younger and call her Nancy Drew.

Lytton Strachey • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Ha!
Beat you by ten minutes on the Drewism!

Thierry Attard • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

No problem. Someday they’ll make a Young Poirot movie and I’ll try to be faster. ;-)

deering • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Heh. YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES did have some points, come to think of it…

GabbyD • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

i wonder who owns the rights to nancy drew. that character is ripe for a modern, more realistic story.

Michael Strangeways • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

1) It’s St. Mary Mead…no apostrophe ‘s’.
2) The whole concept of ‘Marple’ is that she’s OLD…I’m also guessing this will NOT be a period piece, unless they’re planning on doing it in the style of the Sherlock Holmes reboot. Miss Marple was a Victorian, so if she’s supposed to be 30 and they’re being faithful to the original Christie premise, it would be set roughly 1900-1915 or even earlier. The character debuted circa 1930 and “lived” until the last written book, Nemesis in 1971. They have a range to work with.
3)Wait…is this for tv or film?

Randee • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

But … if she’s not a spinster … then she’s married (or was married) … which would negate the “Miss.”

My head hurts.

carthy • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Disney goons ruin another literary character. Hey Mouse-House, don’t just stop at making her younger. Maybe she can also be a multi-ethnic, transsexual combat veteran who moved to LA after fighting in Iraq for the Brits?

And maybe she is also an expert computer hacker, stunt driver, sniper, mixed-martial-arts fighter, with a photographic memory and an encyclopedic knowledge of foresnic science?

And maybe the film is done in 3D?

God help us all.

joe • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

LOL- A tranny Miss Marple- now theres a winner

Heelbiter • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

I’d pay to see a comment thread somewhere that doesn’t devolve into transphobic slurs.

James • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Actually, to be honest I would SO pay to see that movie:)

Murder She Sang • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

30 or 40 is much too old this should be developed for Miley Cyrus and she should be called Ms. Miley Marple not Miss Marple that’s too old fashioned.

teree • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Nooooooo! What makes the series so charming is the unsuspecting, senior spinster, Ms. Marple.
WTF! Why not just set it in a big city and highrises, too?!?.

Some things need to be left as is…

Shame on Disney.

angharad76 • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. Really, the people who care about the Marple name and Agatha Christie, people like me, won’t be interested in a different character with that name. Those who would be interested in a younger character won’t give a hoot about the name Marple. Just do an original mystery series and don’t buy a brand name to change everything about the brand that makes the name mean something.

Robert • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

I’m not even going to go into the idea that Hollywood thinks it’s unprofitable to have a movie where the lead might be over 50. (Box office for “Red”? Didn’t anyone get the message?)

As a diehard Agatha Christie fan, this is sickening. Why does Hollywood feel the irresistible need to “tweak” a proven character?

I can see it now–Kate Winslet opens the door to her small (five bedroom, three bathroom, 2500 sq. ft.) mansion in St. Mary Mead The postman, played by Colin Farrell (accents be damned!) stands there–open shirt exposing a buff chest. “I’ve got an important package for you Jane,” he says. Jane smiles, her bosum pushing up and out of her Stella McCartney blouse.

“Kate Winslet opens the door to her small (five bedroom, three bathroom, 2500 sq. ft.) mansion in St. Mary Mead The postman, played by Colin Farrell (accents be damned!) stands there–open shirt exposing a buff chest. “I’ve got an important package for you Jane,” he says. Jane smiles, her bosum pushing up and out of her Stella McCartney blouse.”

I’d pay to see this–as an SNL spoof…:)

joe • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

If she’s Miss Marple obviously she’s old. How about an older Nancy Drew. Dumb idea Disney. Leave her as she is. Just use Helen Mirren – she’d be great, if she wants to do it of course

Furious D • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Let me get this straight… They’re paying the Christie estate money, and probably pretty good money, to slap the name of a Christie character who, when Disney’s done with her, won’t resemble the original character they paid for.

I can’t wait for their next collaboration with the Christie estate which will star Vin Diesel as Hercule Poirot.

rizzo51 • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

LOL!!! My favorite comment by far! Thanks, Furious D :-)

Earlgrey22 • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

WTF! They have no right calling it Marple! It’s not fair taking a beloved character and twisting it into an Americanized abomination.

jrp001 • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

As long as the maker her a blogger / IT whiz, this project is pure gold….

/sarcasm

Katy Sarcastic • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Just hire Katherine Heigl. She’s a doll to work with and she just makes everything great!!! This could earn her her long deserved Oscar.

David Ben-Gurion • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

I also understand they’re re-doing The Diary of Anne Frank with Anne a Nazi sympathizer.

Stan • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Or as a female Rambo “I’m in the attic! Come and git me M***her F**kers!”

sleuth • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

If anyone’s going to do this, I’d rather it be Disney. Mark Frost is an interesting writer, so who knows?

Bobby Sue • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

What about Disney lately fills you with such confidence? Tron?

Andrew • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Leave it to Hollywood – they’re the only business in the world that identifies an existing money maker, buys it (in this case a story/characters) and then proceeds to change everything that made it interesting/popular in the first place…. and then scratches it’s collective head saying ‘well, it must have failed because the studio/actors/press/moon interferred” rather than admitting it has a problem taking source material and making it work on screen.

On the other hand, television already proved that Miss Marple is a concept that worked – Angela Lansbury starred in a show about an aging woman detective for many years.

Ed • on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 pm

Let’s remake Columbo, too. But instead of a rumpled, seemingly bumbling older detective, make him suave and played by Bradley Cooper or Chris Pine. It can’t miss.